South Korean Inbee Park leads the LPGA Taiwan Championship by two shots after the first round on Thursday. Park fired a sizzling seven-under-par 65 at the Sunrise Golf and Country Club, giving her a two-shot lead ahead of world No.1 Yani Tseng. American pair Nicole Castrale and Danielle Kang, South Korean Park Hee-Young and Thailand&aposs Pornanong Phatlum are all tied for third, three shots off the pace. Park played a blemish-free round of golf, hitting four birdies on a seven-hole stretch from the 2nd to the 8th. This gave the 24-year-old terrific early momentum and she finished well, producing a birdie on the last to finish with a superb opening round that equalled the tournament record set by American Morgan Pressel last year. Tseng – who is the defending champion – stormed home to finish the day in outright second, with four birdies from holes 11 to 15 helping her shoot a 67. Of the group tied for third, Phatlum – who hit four birdies in a row on the back nine – looked threatening while Castrale finished particularly well. American duo Paula Creamer and Lizette Salas, Norwegian Suzann Pettersen and South Korean Chella Choi are all tied for seventh at an overall score of three under. Sarah Jane Smith was the best of the Australians, finishing in a tie for 15th at one under after shooting two birdies and one bogey. Katherine Hull (tied for 26th) and Lindsey Wright (tied for 35th) are the other Aussies competing in the event.
Author: Omnisport